Queen biopic to be first Netflix original UK series

Netflix's first original UK TV series is set to be a biopic of the Queen, called 'The Crown'.

The streaming service reportedly fought off competition from the BBC and ITV for the rights to the series, which is being developed by Left Bank pictures (which is owned by Sony Pictures Television).

Netflix is said to be very close to securing a deal.

The series will chronicle Queen Elizabeth II's reign from when she took the throne at the age of 26 to the present day. It's thought to cost around £100m to make.

The script will also focus on the changing political landscape during those years.

It'll be written by Peter Morgan, who penned the script for the 2006 film 'The Queen'. Director Stephen Daldry – 'BIlly Elliot', 'The Reader', 'The Hours' – is also attached to the project.

The series is set to be 20 episodes in length, with a reported budget of at least £5m per episode.

Netflix has previously commissioned critically-acclaimed original series like 'Breaking Bad', 'House of Cards', and 'Orange is the New Black'. These are said to have changed TV viewing habits, ushering in an era of binge watching, where people get through entire series in a single sitting.

The streaming service also recently announced it was expanding into six more European countries later this year.

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